A nursery threatened with closure was saved at the eleventh hour by a generous investor.

Mayfield Children's Centre, the nursery provider in Springfield Hospital, Glenburnie Road, Tooting, was set to close a fortnight ago due to financial difficulties.

Parents were told on November 21 the nursery will not be open the following week and staff would lose their jobs.

The nursery, which is run as a charitable trust, was able to stay open for a week longer after parents found £5,000.

Parents spent a week trying to find a way to keep the nursery operating, before Raj Vaidya, husband of one of the nursery staff, stepping forward to rescue the nursery last Friday evening.

He said: “My wife has worked at Mayfield for the last two years and childcare is her absolute passion. 

“We felt that we had to do whatever possible to save it from closure, both for the sake of the children but also to safeguard the jobs of the nursery staff.”

South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust also agreed to allow Mayfield to continue using the facilities, enabling the deal to go through at the last minute.

Reverend Nicholas Peacock, vicar of St Mary Magdalene, and a Mayfield parent, said: "Our priorities for saving the nursery were twofold, saving the jobs of the nursery staff who are so dedicated to looking after our children and ensuring continuity of childcare in an area where nursery places are at a premium. 

"The silver lining to all this is that the parents have developed a real sense of community and have committed to dedicating time and effort to ensuring Mayfield maintains its important place in the community."

Dr Sean Whyte, a parent who works at Springfield Hospital, said: "Our boys love Mayfield, it is a really good nursery.

"They have been so happy and settled there since they started at six months old."

The nursery provides care for about 50 children and is used by Springfield staff, as well as members of the public.

There will be new nursery spaces available in January, with the nursery catering for children aged three months to five-years-old.

 

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